Tuesday, October 31, 2017

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." ~ Acts 3:19

Below is my annual photo of the Ridgecrest Conference Center, located in Asheville, NC, where every October we attend the NCFIC (National Center for Family Integrated Churches) conference. This year's theme was Repentance.

Here's a picture of Jonathan and my sister, Aunt Bet, who drives to Asheville each year to the conference from Greenville, SC, to pick up Granny for a few days' visit while we're attending the sessions: The very first folks we saw were our friends, Mike and Ginger, whom we always love to catch up with during free times. Here I am with Ginger:

Mike and Ginger are fellow Virginians. Here's Mike chatting with Tom as we first arrived and checked in:

Our keynote sessions always began with singing...in this case, an old time favorite is shown:

We always enjoy browsing the vendor hall each year. Here's Hannah chatting with the vendors from Florida who run Psalm 78 Ministries.

We ate our various meals during the conference with different folks each time, which was very interesting...getting to know folks from all across the country...from Idaho to Texas to North Carolina. Here's Jonathan conversing with family friend, pastor Marcus Serven:

There seems to be lots of Hannahs at these conferences! Here's our Hannah with another Hannah from Alabama:

And...another Hannah from North Carolina who's been at the conference several years as we have, but this was the first year for us to meet:

The Girotti gang poses with Hannah's sister, Lily, another first meeting:

These folks were attending the conference from Pennsylvania...and they were also at the ice cream social this spring! I loved talking to the family and getting acquainted:

As you can see from reading this post, conferences like this are about the messages...yes...but also a lot about meeting people and connecting!

These newlyweds came over to see us...and, of course, they wanted to see pictures of our grandsons! Luke was in Sarah and Eric's wedding two years ago:

Hannah renewed acquaintance with this nice young lady, whom we had met previously when we visited her church in North Carolina earlier this year:

As you can see, it was a beautiful day. Tom and I loved being outside during breaks getting some fresh air and seeing the fall scenery. It was another very good time at the conference!

I'll leave you with these lyrics to the theme song we sang throughout the weekend, His Robes For Mine:

VERSE 1:His robes for mine: O wonderful exchange!Clothed in my sin, Christ suffered ‘neath God’s rage.Draped in His righteousness, I’m justified.In Christ I live, for in my place He died.

VERSE 2:His robes for mine: what cause have I for dread?God’s daunting Law Christ mastered in my stead.Faultless I stand with righteous works not mine,Saved by my Lord’s vicarious death and life.

CHORUS:I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost:Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God.Bought by such love, my life is not my own.My praise-my all-shall be for Christ alone.